The 'Jolly Roger' ... Fourth edition

Front matter

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Preface

. In the following pages I have attempted to trace the adventures of one Humphrey Bolin, with his son. young Humphrey, who fell amongst pirates, and sailed to the Island of Laverna. The strange and mystic phenomena which the young man witnessed, while under the influence of the evil witch Penelope Ancrum, I have not tried to explain, as I prefer to leave that task to the modern student of hypnotism to prove or disprove as he best may ; also to the consideration of the Psychological Society, as a plausible theory for what was termed witchcraft by our ancestors, — a strange gift, which was be lieved in as implicitly by the witches themselves as by tlie victims whom they bewitched. I have no apology to give for the introduction of William Shakespeare, convinced as I am by close re search that my portrait of the Poet is a correct one, and also that my belief is shared by many authorities on this subject, notwithstanding all that Mr. Ignatius Donnelly and his disciples have said and written to the contrary.

As he has appeared to me I give him back to you, to take •or reject, as seemeth best to you. The "Jolly Roger" floats over the blood-stained decks •of the pirate fleet, and from tho masthead of the ship Vigo vii c pre Pace. blackens the tropic skies. King Death flashes his sWord and meets his reward. Penelope plays her wicked pranks as long as she can ; while young Humphrey looks on with admiration and wonder; as will also, I trust, my young readers, not forgetting, while following the daring actions of the pirates, the equally daring but more noble sea heroes who did so much to build up the glory and freedom of England. H. N. Hogarth Club, 36, Dover Street, Piccadilly, November, 1891. CONTENTS. BOOK FIRST. The Wizard's Venture. CHAPTER PAOE I. HOW THE StUP "VlGO" CAME TO WlTESTAPLE . 1 II. — _SsEC_i.O_l___.CY 9 III. — The Men Enlist for Long Service . . 14 IV. — An Old English Supper .... 20 V. — Humphrey Bolin tells his Story . . .26 VI.— A May Dream 34, VIL — " Come Back, Bard Shakespeare " ... 40 VIII. — The Powers or Darkness and the Powers that be . . 48 IX. — The Escape 56 BOOK SECOND.

Journal of Humphrey Bolin the younger, written at tlie request of and addressed to one William Shakespeare, actor, ofthe City of London, and found at sea in the year 1612. CHAPTEE PAGE I. — The Island 64 II. — Shipmates 69 III.— The Evil Eye 76 IV.— Shark Fishing . . 80 V. — The Resurrection op Alsander .... 90 VI. — Raising the Wind 95 VII. — Father Neptune Boards the "Vigo" . . , 105 VIII.— The Home of King Death . . . . .112 IX.— A Merry Nigut 117 X. — The Palace op the King 125 CONTENTS. X CHAPTER PAGh XI. — The Keeper of his Jealousy .... 132 XII. — How the Pirates Lived at Laverna . . 136 XIIL— The Inland Ride 141 XIV. — Through the Valley of Serpents . . . 148 XV. — Quassatta is Born 156 XVI. — The Escape from the Volcano . . .162 XVII. — A Dangerous Dream 165 XVIII. — The Spartan Boy and his Hidden Fox . 171 XIX.— A Twilight Sail 176 XX. — The Watchdog Betrays his Trust . . 185 XXI. — Bringing Home the Treasure Galliases . 189 XXII. — Admiral Humphrey Bolin .... 197 XXIII. — Humphrey Asserts his Position . . . 204 XXIV. — The Capture of the Gallias .... 211 XXV.— A Game of Bluff 220 XXVI. — Pierre Denis takes the only Koad left open to Him 227 XXVIL— That Voice Again 232 XXVIIL— The Sailing of the Pirates' Fleet . . 241 XXIX.— Towards the Spanish Main .... 246 XXX. — A Successful Baid 254 XXXI.— The Fever of Battle 260 XXXIL— The Taking op Porto Bello . . . .264 XXXIII.— The Battle of the Plain . . . .268 XXXIV— Death of Alsander 276 XXXV. — The Escape from the Church . . . 283 XXXVI. — The Return to Porto Bello .... 289 XXXVII. — Humphrey ends his Journal .... 293

Epilogue

. Ye House of one William Shakespeare, Stratford-on-Avon. Time, April 22nd, 1616. CH1PTEE PASE I. — Sir Humphrey Bolin's Adventures .... 298 II. — The Last THE "JOLLY BOGER" BOOK FIRST. TEE WIZARD'S VENTURE.

Chapter I. How The Ship Figo Came To Witestai-le

One morning in the spring of the year 1605 the honest dredgers of Witestaple were startled out of the calm and repose of their customary occupations by the some what unusual sight of a stately carrack, which swung round the Isle of Sheppey, and made directly towards their own town front, as if their little harbour was its destination. It was a handsomely built ship, freshly painted and gilt, with new cordage and sails upon her, as if she had just come out of dock, as indeed she had. A gallant sight she presented to the staring eyes of these watchers on the shore, as she bore in before that easterly breeze — all sails set and bulging, with ensigns and pennons flying gaily, the morning sun gilding the sea under her. and herself like a purple haze against that golden glory. The dredgers of "Witestaple were an independent and a chartered body of men, who took life remarkably easy, i B and made the most of their royal privileges.

They were rather conservative also in their ideas about strangers, and did not welcome them very graciously unless they considered something worth while could be made out of them. But a newly-bedecked carrack, fitted out for a sea-voyage as this one was, looked like something worth while, and therefore not to be regarded in the light of an ordinary stranger. She must have wanted something special from Witestaple, else she would never have turned out of her way down the Channel; and that some thing flavoured of profit to these hardy burghers of the waters ; therefore with one accord they set down their morning mugs of beer, so that they might the better use their hands for the shading of their eyes; and rose from their seats, so that they might be ready to stroll down to the pier head, and lend a help with the ropes, by the time the carrack got there.

" Whoever is at the wheel o' that ship knows his way in," remarked one of the loungers as they stood waiting and watchin"-. "■***■ "Ay, and they seem mighty short-handed by the way they handle her," observed another. "A fine, fast craft, but curiously emblazoned," said a third. "Lord a mussy ! if she ain't a flying the Wizard's en sign ! Look, AaroD, the queer signs all over it done in silver, same as he shows up on the hill — stars and snakes, and sich-like devilish devices ; and, by all the powers, yonder the old 'un comes with his witch sister to meet them. This is a curious sight, honest lads, and something that our good king might like to know about, if any one could be found bold enough to tell it." " Perchance, William, only the less one meddles with HOW THE "VIGO" CAME TO WITESTAPLE. 3 sich-like cattle the better for himself.

I, for one, feel like going back to my beer." " Right you are, uncle, so will we with you." Thus, as with one accord the dredgers had lefo their work and come to the jetty to see the ship, they all went back again and left the harbour clear, for that was their habit and how they were wont to receive unwelcome strangers. Ancient families have always peculiar habits of their own to distinguish them from the people of yesterday. The Honourable Company of Royal Dredgers had pedigrees reaching as far back as any noble iu the land — from the time when William the Conqueror granted to them ex clusive fishing and dredging rights to the present day. And they had taken means to retain these rights, and transmit them jealously from father to son. From generation to generation the eldest son inherited the rights and drew the dues, and so never lost his interest in his native land.

The younger sons, as is the case with the aristocracy, could go off and better their conditions as they liked best; so they mostly became either servants to their eldest brother, or else went off as sailors, while the heirs remained ashore on duty, and looked after the family privileges as eldest sons and heirs generally clo. While the industrious dredgermen were regaling them selves in the sea-facing yard of The Neptune, and show ing their independence by ostentatiously neglecting the strangers, the bulky carrack was slowly and majestically advancing towards the deserted pier, the tide being at the time high enough to carry it safely into the harbour. It was a picturesque sight, with its lofty and richly decorated forecastles, towering stern, and bulging sides. The anchors hung at the bows ready for dropping, while the men were hard at work taking in sail.

They worked leisurely in those days, and seemed to be rather short handed from the way they laboured; but as the wind was light, and their progress easy, that did not seem to matter much in the present instance. Onward she glided, slowing off as the sails were furled one by one, and throwing her shadow in front of her until it reached nearly to that all but deserted quay. A carrack of about five hundred tons, very lofty in the bows and stern, with the maindeck low and exposed, and with but little bulwark to protect it, at present ; in time of war or during a storm, however, they used net tings to keep off boarders and guard the passengers. She was coming on, and showing more of her bows, with the sides fore-shortened; curved, rounded upper bows plentifully ribbed and barred, with her four anchors hanging over, and the figure-head, a female half-length, protruding under the bowsprit, picturesque and clumsy looking as a Thames barge of the present day, only more so, with her gun-holes and guns sticking out at every available space, from the top line right down to almost the water edgre.

An old ship, and of Spanish build, which had been recently thoroughly overhauled, patched, and fresh painted, so that she glowed upon the waters in all the glory of her new coat. All the sails were at last reefed, so that she was crawling in with the tide, and the impetus of the wind which had lately bellied out her sails. A four-master, with two yards on the fore and main masts, and lateen sails on the small stern poles. Heavy masts the two mainmasts were, with solid cages at the top of the shrouds, from where guns also stuck out, as indeed they did from every part, fore and aft. What- HOW THE "VIGO" CAME TO WITESTAPLE. 5 ever her present mission might be, she was plentifully equipped as far as firearms were concerned. Along her exposed side could bo counted eighteen large guns; three more lay slush with the maiudeck ; a double tier of twelves could be seen on the poop, facing the forecastle, to cover boarders ; which, with the usual number on the stern, would make her a sixty-gun carrack, the description of vessel which explorers used for a long sea voyage iu those days.

" Will she do, William ? " There were only three figures on the quay end, watching the approach of the ship. An old gentlemau, with thin, fragile figure, dressed plainly in black velvet, with rap ier at his belt to denote his qunlity ; a weak-looking, elderly gentleman he ap peared to be, who trembled as he leaned heavily upon his ebony staff, with scanty white hair aud beard, and watery, bleared eyes, which originally had been dark-brown. His companions were a lady, who appeared to be as old as himself, and a man of about thirty-nine years of age, florid-faced and inclined to stoutness. Tho lady was costumed plainly, and also in sable hue, and she too leaned heavily upon a staff of ebony. Ou her head she wore a black hood, which nearly concealed her face, allowing only the straight, thin nose and sharp chin to show, with the piercing dark eyes, which glowed in the shadow, and a single patch of white hair to show out amongst the black cloth — a sallow and withered looking face, albeit showing very few wrinkles upon it.

The younger man at first sight looked commonplace and plebeian, and he carried no sword at his thigh; his dress also was perfectly plain and saffron-tinted, an over- THE "JOLL Y ROGER." lapping linen collar and cuffs being the only relief to an otherwise monotony of uninteresting colours. He wore his brown hair long and his beard short cut and pointed. Not a bad-looking face, but ordinary as far as features were concerned, with the exception of the large and bright blue eyes, which darted vivaciously from side to side, taking in every detail within range, and never for an instant keeping still. It was to him that tho old gentleman addressed his inquiry : — " Will she do, William, lad ? " "As far as looks be; she is as gaily bedizened as a young bride; and so that she is sound within I can see no reason why you sliould not trust your fortunes with her."

"Good, William, good; she is sound, I warrant, for her age, which is under twenty." "A good, seasonable age for a woman, Sir John, and not too old for a ship, either, so that neither have had rough usage in their youth. My friend, Sir Walter, took her from the Dons, didn't he ? " "Not Sir Walter, but the Admiral Drake." " Ha ! methinks I see an old friend on board," cried the younger man, shading his eyes with his hand. " As I live, my old shipmate Humphrey Bolin ! " " Ay, he is my master for the voyage," answered tha old man ; " specially recommended as a good seaman and an honest man, who has been well tried both at home and abroad." " I have heard something of his trials at home," muttered William, with a laugh and a bright sparkle in his rolling eye. " Good old Humphrey, he hath a shrew for a better half."

HOW THE "VIGO" CAME TO 1YITESTAPLE. 7 " Ahoy thoro, ashore ! loud B hand and oatoh a rope." "Ay, av, master," replied William, leaping forward and dexterously catching the line which the boatswain had flung towards him, drawing it hand over hand until he had tho hawser well in, which ho twisted round the post. Next moment the anchors wove dropped with a rattle of chains, and tho carrack was butting aud rubbing softly against the planks of tho pier, while the master had left tho wheel, and, followed by a couple ef sailors and a boy id about fifteen, leaped ashore from the maindeek. which was almost level with tho quay. "Sir Jehu Fenton?" inquired the master, touching his hat to the old gentleman. "That is my name ; and yours is Humphrey Bolin, I believes" "Yes, sir; old Humphrey 1 am now ; and there stands young Humphrey, whom I took the liberty to bring with me as oabin-bo\ ."

"And the dog Martin, Humphrey, where is ho?" broke in the voice ofthe saffron -garbed stranger — a rich, clear voice, which made the master wheel round abruptly and examine him closely. "The dog Martin is dead; yet I have a true son of his on board. Hut whe are yon that asks tho questieu?" '■ Hast thou forgotten me. Humphrey?" •' Say that again, if you please." Humphrey Bolin shut his eyes. ■• Hast thou forgotten me. Humphrey Bolin?" "That is the voice of jesting Will Shakespeare, my old shipmate en tho /.' . Aud new 1 see thy eves. they flash the same merry light, although thou hast grown out ef all recognition. Art thou the same lad?" "No, Humphrey ; but for all that my name is Will Shakespeare. When we chased the Spaniards from the Channel, methinks I was a different man." "Ay, I heard that thou hadst turned mummer, and drank thy sack with lords.

But, zounds ! thou didst look better on Queen Bess's beer, bad as it was." "Tes, Humphrey, lad, I was young then, without a feather-weight of care; and thou, also, hadst not married." "Tush ! let the past be, Will," growled out Humphrey gruffly, with a changed face. " Is that thy son, master ? " inquired the old lady, fixing her bright eyes on the boy. "Ay, madam ; my only child." " So. He is a pretty boy, and will see some strange sights before he comes home again, if he goes with us." "Ay, madam, his mind is set on going. Besides, I have no one to leave him with, so that it is as well that he should accompany me." " Better, Master Humphrey Bolin, for I shall take charge of him, and make a man of him. Come, youn"- Humphrey, give me thy arm and show me through the ship." *-~

Chapter II. Necromancy

Sir JonN Fenton dabbled in the dark arts, and was known throughout the country-side as the Wizard of Witestaple. He was not a very formidable magician in himself — or rather would not have been, if it had not been for his familiar, the Witch of Canterbury, for so this dark-eyed aud withered-looking companion who had watched the ship coming iu was generally known. It was not a very hard matter to win the reputation of a witch or a wizard in the days of Queen Bess or her Solomon successor, James, — a much safer time dnring the former reign than in the present for the possessor of the evil gift, as tho kingly witch-hunter had a keen nose and an uncommon zeal in the game of fighting the devil and all his ministers. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth Sir John Fenton had turned his attention to the study of astrology and necromancy.

He had been a pupil of the famous Dr. Dee, and was fairly respected iu the court of the virgin queen in consequence of his supposed gifts. But with the crowning of King James men of his lean ings considered it to be the best part of valour to put some distance between themselves and the capital, so he had prudently retired to a little estate which he possessed on tho Kentish coast, and where he could continue his studies in secret, giving shelter to such-like professors of the forbidden science as came in his direction, with a a smack always at anchor close by, in order to carry him out of danger, if the need for flying happened. Penelope Ancrum had, some months before this, sought and found shelter in his mansion; she had fled from Canterbury, after making that place too hot to hold her, aud in her Sir John had found a veritable treasure.

All that Dr. Dee's young man had been able to accomplish this mysterious old woman had surpassed; where Sir John had been long fumbling iu the dark and meeting only failures and rebuffs, Mistress Penelope cleared up with remarkable promptitude and success. Under her hands Sir John was able to call up whatever demon he particularly fancied, and see sights which had before been only vague surmises. As Dr. Dee, in spite of his faith and enthusiasm, had never been able to arrive at any satisfactory results until he joined partnership with that gifted adventurer Edward Kelly, so Sir John had entered into familiar intercourse with many before the coming of Penelope, suffering grievous disappointments ; for the spirits were most erratic in their coming and going, generally maliciously leaving him in the lurch when most wanted.

Now, however, the old geutleman stood upon a firm basis, and there were no more uncertainties or sportive tricks on the part of the Imps of Darkness. Penelope had them all under her complete control. No magic mirrors were needed, as in the case of Dr. Dee and Edward Kelly, but a certain formula was required, as no crowned head likes to be approached sans cere'monie, and the devils who came to the call of Penelope were all princes of greater or lesser magnitude, from his Royal Highness Lucifer to the meanest of his imps; but as the times went Penelope did her feats NECROMANCY. 11 with fewer preparations than most of her sisters iu witchcraft used. Before the coming of tho Witch of Canterbury Sir John had been regarded by the neighbours as a harmless lunatic, and his magic dabbling as a foolish waste of time.

But now that opinion altered ; he was now allowed to have at last broken through the magic circle, and to havo signed his name in the devil's private ledger. With the aid of his familiar, he could at length perform feats at which the strongest man trembled. But never without the presence and aid of Penelope ; indeed, he was never to be seen now absent from her when they walked abroad. The fishermen said that their spirits melted when she fixed her burning eyes upon them, so that they had to drop their lids ; and that when they listed them again, even in the broad daylight, they had seen her change herself, sometimes into a cat or a dog, or some other strauge and uncouth beast. She had fled for her life from Canterbury after a few weeks' stay there, but where she had come from before no one knew.

She was white-haired and old-looking, with the exception of her eyes and teeth, which were singularly bright and well preserved ; but few people could have told exactly what she was like after the first steady look into her dark and glowing eyes. " She is not the devil," remarked Sir John to his friend Shakespeare, after he had been introduced to this domestic treasure ; " for I have seen the Prince of Darkness in her company. And she is human, like the rest of us, for she is vulnerable to physical pain ; but in all else she is a marvel. She has also the great secret of renewing her life and youth, and will take me where I can find the ingredients for the elixir." "Has she tried it on herself?" inquired Shakespeare a little incredulously. "Tes; thirteen times have I become a young girl since my first youth," answered Penelope, who had glided in upon them as they sat over their sack in the sitting-room of Sir John's mansion.

It was Shakespeare's first visit to his former friend since they had parted in London two years previously, and they were waiting upon the coming of Humphrey Bolin, who had been hard at work all day seeking re cruits for the voyage; if he was successful, two more days would see them all afloat. "How many years ago is it since your first youth, Mistress Ancrum ? " inquired the illustrious guest, fixing his deep blue eyes upon the dark eyes of the witch. " Eleven hundred and thirteen years, Master William Shakespeare. I was born in the year 370, just after the Emperor Theodosiu3 drove the Picts and Scots from London." Penelope spoke gravely, never moving her steady eyes from the twinkbng orbs of her questioner. As she looked the humorous expression changed, while his glance be came a fixed stare.

Then, as his eyelids fell before her regard, a subtle smile of triumph curled up her thin lips and displayed her small white teeth. " Yes, Master Shakespeare, I can show you afterwards, if you wish to see, some of the kings who have lived and passed away during my long life; they may help you in your future dramas." Skakespeare gave a start, and passed his hand over his broad high brow, as one does who has been beset with a vagueness. NECROMANCY. 13 " Wilt thou try my skill ? " " Yes, Mistress Penelope; yet I seem already to have witnessed that battle of Valentia." "It happened two years before I was born. Sir John, what do you see now ? " " My master, Humphrey Bolin, with his recruits and sailors." " AVhere are they ? " " Entering the park gate." "Now, Master Shakespeare, you will be able to prove Sir John ; they should be here within sive more minutes if he has foretold truly.

How many of them are coming ? " "Humphrey Bolin and his son lead the way, followed by seven new men and five of the old crew." Sir John spoke monotonously, with his head on his chest and his eyes half closed, while Penelope stood in the centre of the lamplit room, stooping over her crutch, which she held with both hands. She was for a woman very tall and thin. " Good Sir John, are they willing to come here ? " " No, they come most unwillingly." "But they are forced to come for all that. Listen, William Shakespeare ; you will hear them knock in another moment." As she finished speaking a loud knocking was heard at the hall door. " Come, gentlemen, we will let them in, and see it they enter in the order which Sir John has described."

Chapter III

the men enlist pon long service. The moon was shining brightly over the shingley walk and between the thinly-clad branches of the old oak trees in the park beyond, falling in chequered patches of pale green upon the tender young grass — such a landscape as only fair Kent could furnish in the beginning of the seventeenth century. An old-fashioned, gabled, and mullioned-windowed mansion, surrounded by extensive grounds, with well cared-for park of centuries growth, the grass soft and thick as the plot in front of Canterbury Cathedral, such a pile as is not easily disturbed cr broken up; reaches of oak avenues, where the deer disported, and lovers had walked over under the summer suns and the autumn moons, losing themselves iu that misty past, as they were lost now from mortal ken. " Pity Sir John Fenton was a bachelor, and the last of his race, with so fair a heritage, unless his dream of renewed youth comes to pass," thought William Shake speare, as he leaned against the doorway of the hall, and looked over this moonlit panorama of knarled oaks and bosky dells, with the silver mists creeping along from the distant sea, and mingling with the under growth.

The seamen and recruits stood iu the path, with the moonlight showing them up, and Humphrey Bolin aud THE MEN ENLIST FOR LONG SERVICE. 15 his son in advance, occupying the steps near to the open door. Yes, they were standing as they had come, in tho order that Sir John had mentioned, a most unwilling crowd, upon this enchanted ground ; for the Witestaple recruits had communicated to the sailors the darkly mysterious character of their employers and the reputa tion of the house to which they had been invited ; hence, although curiosity, with the mention of the high pay, had drawn them along, tlieir superstitious fears were now tugging them backwards, so that they resembled very unhappy schoolboys just after the holidays. "Welcome, my brave fellows; come into the light and be sworn to our service before supper," cried Sir John Fenton, as he showed himself bare-headed at the door way with his familiar, Penelope, at his side.